Fountain pen



N0V 13, 1934- J. LAFoR-EST ET AL 1,980,525

FOUNTAIN PEN Filed Oct. 2, 1933 I [-3 lires JT Pi n an /Nvfwngg @Kham/ww' Patented Nov. 13, 1934 i UNITED vSTATES FOUNTAIN PEN Jean Laforest, Colombes, and Jean Pignon, Aubervilliers, France Application October 2, 1933, Serial No. 691,840 In France October 10, 1932 6 Claims.

This invention relates to a fountain pen in which the tracing member is a ball instead of the nibs and points usually employed. This fountain pen is so combined as to ensure the 5 supply of the tracing ball with ink or other similar liquid, as well as the adjustment of said ball in order to allow more or less thick lines to be traced. The said fountain pen can also be made huid-tight by application on a seat of l a ball acting as a Valve and preventing the supply of ink to the tracing ball. In this case, the fountain pen can be used as a point for tracing purposes, etc.

The improved fountain pen is illustrated by l way of example, in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. l 4is a longitudinal section.

Fig. 2 is a sectional View, on an enlarged scale, of the tracing end of the fountain pen.

Fig. 3 is a section taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a sectional View taken along the line Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of Fig. l.

Fig. 6 is an elevation of a member 'of the founy tain pen. l

The improved fountain pen is composed of a main body or barrel 1, one of the ends of which is of frustum shape and in which is secured a metal cone 2 perforated with a conduit having three diameters of successively decreasing cross sections so as to form three chambers 3-4-5.

In the chamber 5 is fitted a tracing ball 6 and above the latter is arranged a regulating ball 'l having the same diameter as the ball 6. In the chamber 4 is arranged a ball valve 8 resting on the lower portion of the chamber 4, which constitutes a seat for said ball valve. 'I'he two first balls 6 and 7 have a diameter approximately equal to that of the chamber 5 which prevents any side play of said balls. This chamber 5 terminates in an embossed or countersunk bead formed on the end of the member 2. This bead can also be constituted by a member made of iridium or of a very hard metal and secured on the cone 2. Said bead is adapted to prevent the tracing ball 6 from falling out of the chamber 5. Both balls 6 and 7 must be able to freely rotate in the chamber 5 between ball valve 8 and the bead, Whether the fountain pen is open or closed. When the ball valve 8 is pressed upon its seat, as will be seen later on, it prevents the ink or other liquid reaching the balls `6 and '7, and the fountain pen is thus closed.

(Cl. 1Z0-43) The improved fountain pen is moreover provided With an adjusting device constituted as follows:

A tube 9 is arranged within the barrel 1 in which it freely rotates. This tube cannot receive any axial displacement, its shoulder 10 resting, on the one hand, on the cork ring 11 constituting a fluid-tight packing, which ring is supported by a washer 12 preventing it from becoming distorted, and, on the other hand, it is held in the other direction, by a stuffing-box 13, held in po sition by a lock nut 14, the stuing-box 13 and the lock nut 14 being screwed at l5 in the barrel 1.

The tube 9 is open at its upper part and, at its lower part, that is to say that adjacent to the frustum-shaped portion of the fountain pen, it carries a rod 16 screwed in the end of said tube 9. This rod is held in position by a lock nut 17 preventing it from getting out of adjustment.

The end of this rod 16 is screwed, at 18, within 75 a member 19 which cannot rotate about its axis.

In fact, this member 19 is provided with tWo projections 20 which, as they extend in suitable grooves of the barrel 1 (Fig. 4), allow said member 19 to moveonly inan axial direction. From 80 this fact, when the tube 9 is caused to rotatel the member 19 is moved forward or backward according as the tube is rotated in one direction or the other. l

This member 19 is inserted in the chamber 3 of 35 the cone 2 and is provided with anjenlargement 21 having the same diameter as that of the chamber 3. The `latter serves therefore as a guide for the end of the member 19.

The enlargement 21 is provided with grooves 90 22, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, for the passage of the ink or other liquid adapted to feed the balls. The member 19 terminates in a point 23 partially entering the chamber 4 and serving as an adjustable abutment for the ball valve 8 which can 95 freely move in the chamber 4.

The tube 9 is perforated with holes 24 and 25, putting it in communication with the body or barrel 1. It is this tube 9 which receives the ink and the'latter'is supplied to the tracing ball 100 6 by passing through the holes 24 and 25.

The tube 9 carries, at its end, an Archimedean screw having a long pitch and multiple threads 26, for allowing priming of the fountain pen by delivery of the liquid, as will be explained later on.

'I'he other end of the tube 9 is screw-threaded in order to receive an adjusting socket 27 which, once placed in position, is rendered rigid with the tube 9 by a lock nut 28.

Cqllqllfmtly, the tube 9, socket 2'! and lock nut 110 28 constitute a unit which cannot be taken to pieces. u

It will be understood that, when the socket 2'7 is caused to rotate in a given direction, the rod 16 unscrews in Vthe member 19 and the end 23 of the latter presses upon the ball valve B until it rests on its seat. A" seal will thus be provided Apreventing the liquid from reaching the balls 6 and 7.

When the socket 27 is caused to rotate in the other directiony'the ball valve 8 is released and thus allows the liquid to reach the balls 6 and 'I according. as the ball valve 8 receives a displacement of greater or less amplitude. The supply of the liquid to the balls 6 and 'l is not 'only modifled, but said balls can also move to a greater or less extent in their chamber 5.

The tracing ball 6 can therefore project more or less outside the bead, thus allowing it to trace more or less thick lines.

However, the displacement of the balls is limited. This is obtained owing to the suitable position occupied by the end 29 of the rod 16 which acts as an abutment against which strikes the bottom of the head of the member 19. This abutment prevents the member 19 from being moved too far back, as this might allow the three balls to leave their respective chambers or housings.

The fluid-tightness of the fountain pen is obtained, on the one hand, .by the stuiiing-box 13 and the cork ring 11, and, on the other hand, by a cap 30 lprovided with a rubber packing 31. Said cap 30 is screwed on the tube 9 and thus closes the end ofthe latter.

The admission of air necessary for ensuring the normal operation of the fountain pen takes place through a tube 32 secured in the cap 3 and opening in the atmosphere.

`It has previously been stated that the tube 9 was provided at its end with an Archimedean screw having a long pitch, and it will be understood that by causing the socket 27, and consequently'the tube 9, to rotate, for releasing the ball 8, a certain pressure is thus exerted Aon the ink which is forced to pass imder the ball 8 and to immediately reach the balls 7 and 6.

In order to allow of instantaneously and exactly obtaining the thickness of line desired by the user of the fountain pen, the following device is provided.

A metal ring 33 is fitted with slight friction within the upper part of the barrel 1. On the other hand, a spring 34 is interposed between the' sockets 27 and 28 and held stationary by tightening the latter on the tube 9. This spring is laterally guided in a recess 38 provided in the socket 27. On the end of said spring 34 is beaded a ball 35 which, when the socket 28 is caused to rotate, enters an opening 36 formed in the ring 33.

'I'his ring 33 is provided with a notch in which a key can be inserted, so that this ring can be adjusted from the exterior. The opening 36 can thus be moved to the chosen place inrorder that the ball 35, by entering said opening, holds the tube 9 stationary in the vdesired position.

' This device simply indicates the position for ordinary writing and it does not prevent in any case from varying at will the thickness of the lines traced.

A hook 37 serving to hold the fountain pen in the pocket can be secured on the said pen, for

instance by means of a washer 38 bent at right angles relatively to the branch 37, this Washer being fitted about the tube 9 and clamped between the sockets 27 and 28.

When closing the Vfountain pen by holding the ball valve 8 stationary on its seat through the abutment 23, this ball prevents the ,ink from flowing, so that the use of a protecting cap is unnecessary. v

The orifice of the air supply tube is always in communication with the atmosphere. The cross section of said oriceis such that the ink cannot flow out therethrough when the fountain penl is turned upside down, but, however, atmospheric pressure acts in such a manner as to regularize the flow of ink.

It is tobe understood that the improved fountain pen can be made of any suitable material, provided said material is undistortable and rustless, particularly concerning the surfaces in contact with the ink or other similar liquid.

As already stated, the thickness o f the lines traced can vary, and the dimensions can vary from the thickness obtained with an ordinary nib up to a thickness corresponding to the diameter of the ball used.

The improved fountain pen is utilizable for all the applications of an ordinary fountain pen. It will be of great usefulness for manifolds, since it allows of writing by firmly pressing on the tracing member without risk of breaking or distorting it.

It can-also be used as a drawing pen and for executing any inscription with or without a stencil, for making silhouettes, and, by closing it, for making blank tracings.

, Owing to the "fact that its point is constitute by. a ball which rolls andcannot therefore catch or tear, the fountain pen can be used for writing on any smooth or rough surfaces made of paper, cardboard, wood, cloth, etc. Moreover, as the improved fountain pen is made of rustless materials, it can also-be used for the decoration of fabrics by employing colouring or discolouring liquids.

What we claim as our invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:-

1. A fountain pen comprising in combination:

a barrel having a tapered end, a metal cone secured to this tapered end and perforated with a conduit 'bored according to three diameters of successively decreasing cross section constituting three chambers, a freely movable tracing ball, a freely movable regulating ball arranged above the tracing ball, both balls being placed in that of said chambers having the smallest diameter, a ball valve above the tracing and regulating balls an-d arranged in the chamber having an intermediate diameter, a bead at the end chamber of smallest diameter for preventing the tracing ball from falling out of the latter, the lower portion of the chamber receiving the ball valve constituting a seat for the same.

2. In a fountain pen as claimed in claim 1, a tube arranged within the barrel of the fountain pen, this tube being freely rotatable in said barrel and being able to communicate with the latter, an Archimedean screw on the end of said tube for forcing the ink, when the fountain pen is opened, to pass under the ball valve and to immediately feed the tracing ball, a screw-threaded rod carried by the end of said tube which is adjacent to the tapered end of the fountain pen, a stem in which said screw-threaded rod is screwed and provided with longitudinal conduits, this stem constituting an abutment for said ball valve, projections carried by said stem and exltending in grooves of the barrel for preventing 150 1,9ao,eas Y 3 this stem from rotating, and an outer control for is adjacent to the tapered end of the fountain said stem. pen, a stem in .which said screw-threaded rod isy 3. In a fountain pen as claimed in claim 1, a tube arranged within the barrel of the fountain pen, this tube being freely rotatable in said barrel and being able to communicate with the latter, the greater or less rotation of said tube allowing the tracing and regulating balls to have a greater or less play in theirchamber, this allow-` ing to vary at will the thickness of the line traced. 4. In a fountain pen as claimed in claim 1, a

tube, arranged within the barrel of the fountain pen, this tube being freely rotatable in said bar-l rel and being able to communicate with the latter, an Archimedean screw on the end'of said tube for forcing the ink, when the fountain pen is opened, to pass under the ball valve and to immediately feed the tracing ball, a screwthreaded rod carried by the end of said tube which is adacent to the tapered end of the fountain pen, a stem in which said screw-threaded rod is screwed and provided with longitudinal conduits,

. this stem constituting an abutment for said ball valve, projections carried by said stem and extending in grooves of the barrel for preventing this stem from rotating, and an outer control for said stem. a member allowing to adjust the dis.

placement of said stem, when the fountain pen is opened, for easily obtaining a line ofthe usual desired thickness. v Y

5. In a fountainpen as claimed in claim 1, a tube arranged within the barrel of the fountain pen, this tube being freely rotatable in said barrel and being able to communicate with the latter, an Archimedean screw on the end'of said tube for forcing the ink, when the fountain pen is opened, to pass under the ball valve and to immediately feed the tracing ball, la screwthreaded rod carried by the end of said tube which screwed and provided with longitudinal conduits. this stem constituting an abutment for said ball valve. projections carried by said stem and extending in grooves of the barrel for preventing this stem from rotating, and an outer control for said stem, a central tube of small diameter in constant communication with the atmosphere in order that atmospheric pressureshould act only on a small section ofthe ink contained in the fountain pen, thev regulation of the iiow of ink being effected bythe partial vacuum produced in the circular chamberexisting about saidcentral tube.

6. In a fountain pen as claimed in claim 1, a tube arranged within the barrel of the fountain pen, this tube being freely rotatable in said baris opened. to pass under the ball valve 'and tol immediately feedA the tracing ball, a `screwthreaded rod carried by the end of said tube which is adjacent to vthe tapered end of the fountain pen, a vstern in` which'said screw-threaded rod j isy screwed and provided ,with longitudinalgconduits, this stem constituting an abutmentfor said' ball valve, projectiogins carried by said sternl and 156 Y extending in groovesofthe barrel for preventing this stem fromrotating. and an outer control'for said-stem, said aaiustabie'stem'navmgfs limited I stroke:- in one'direction by application of the ball valve upon its seat 'and inthe other-'direction by an'abutment, which" position givesthe` thickest 110 line itis possible to obtain. g

* JEAN PIGNON. 

